Israel launches new strike against Gaza, pledging to “increase military power” against Hamas

Deir Al-Balah in Gaza Strip Israeli Prime Minister said on Monday that Israel launched a new strike against Hamas, killing more than 200 people, according to Palestinian officials and pledged to “increase military power” after talking about further hostage releases. The recovery of Israel’s attacks comes after nearly two months of relative calm in Gaza under a US ceasefire, which was a help from the United States, but Israel and Hamas disagree how to continue.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that its military “is currently attacking the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip with the goal of achieving the war targets determined by the political echelon, including the release of all of our hostages – lives and the dead.”

“From now on, Israel will take action against Hamas as its military strength increases,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The statement said Israel is resuming military strikes as Hamas repeatedly refused to release his hostages and rejected all offers received from U.S. Presidential envoy Steve Witkov and mediators.

“If Hamas does not release all the kidnapped people, the gates of hell will be in Gaza, and Hamas murderers and rapists will meet troops that have never been seen before,” Defense Minister Katz said. “We will not stop fighting until all the kidnapped return to their homeland and achieve all the goals of war.”

Over the weekend, Witkoff warned that Hamas must immediately release the hostages of life “or pay a harsh price.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday night that Israelis consulted the Trump administration about the attack in Gaza.

“Hamas could have released the hostages to expand the ceasefire, but chose to reject and war,” National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes told CBS News on Monday.

Hamas official Taher Nunu criticized the Israeli attack. “The international community faces a moral test: either allow crimes committed by the occupying forces to return or implement a commitment to end the aggression and war against the innocent people of Gaza,” he said.

Hamas also warned that Israel’s new air strikes violated the ceasefire and put the fate of the hostages at risk, saying the Israeli government is responsible for “unreasonable escalation” of the Palestinians.

The strike was in the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan, which was a 17-month war after nearly two months of ceasefire, in which dozens of hostages were released to nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The first phase of the ceasefire ended on March 1, but the pause of the big battle continued until Monday.

However, since the first phase of the ceasefire ended two weeks ago, neither side could reach a consensus on the way forward, the second phase aimed at freeing the remaining 60 hostages and ending the war completely. Netanyahu repeatedly threatens to resume war, President Trump has made several statements warn and Last pass For Hamas, some contradicted the agreed terms of the ceasefire, as negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire are working to achieve.

The first phase of the ceasefire saw some hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate the next step in the ceasefire.

Earlier this month, Israel Cut off aid from Gazaprevent all goods and supplies from entering the Palestinian territory. Israel says aid lockdown is intended to force Hamas to accept Proposal drafted by the Trump administration to expand phase one Ceasefire. Under the proposal, Israel demanded that Hamas immediately hand over half of the hostages held in Gaza, which would be a significant change in the terminology initially agreed to a deal based on the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

Friday, Hamas Say it has accepted Mediators proposed to release a living United States-Israel hostage and the bodies of four dead binational countries. Netanyahu’s office expressed doubts about the proposal last week, accusing the United States and Israel-appointed terrorist groups of attempting to negotiate in Qatar in the next phase of Israel-Hamas Ceasefire.

In another statement Friday, Hamas official Husam Badran reiterated what he said was Hamas’ commitment to fully implement the ceasefire agreement at all stages, warning that any Israeli deviation from the clause would bring negotiations back to the first aspect.

The agreement calls for negotiations to begin a more difficult second phase of the ceasefire, where the remaining hostages will be released and Israeli forces will evacuate from Gaza. Hamas is believed to have 24 hostages and 35 bodies.

The war broke out in Hamas on October 7, 2023. A cross-border terrorist attack killed about 1,200 people and caused 250 hostages. According to local health officials, Israel killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in a military attack, an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population. The territory’s Ministry of Health does not distinguish between civilians and militants, but says more than half are women and children.

Although the ceasefire largely stopped fighting, over the past two months, Israel has left its troops in Gaza and continued to strike targets, claiming that Palestinians are trying to attack or approach the troops in non-driving areas. According to Palestinian officials, 10 people died earlier on Monday, many strikes died.